Machine for making composite sheets



March 14, 1933. L. MCCARTHY 1,901,352

MAOH INE FOR MAKING COMPOSITE SHEETS Filed Jan. 23, 1930 /f /6' v INVEN'FEIRZ i ime-fi Patented Mar. 14, 1933. i

UNITED STATES LOUIS MCCARTHY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, irssreivon To c rLEn 09M PANY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or VMZASSACHUSETTS MACHINE roe MAKING coiurosrrn saunas 7 Application filed January 23, 193b, seri i 1%.; 422,928. Y5

the plates or flakes on the bed, and means for rolling the plates or flakes and the binder upon the bed to unite them into a composite sheet. r

The present invention has for its general objectto provide means for breaking up any lumps or masses of matted flakes or plates which may inadvertently be discharged from the showering means and for insuring the even spreading of the showered flakes or plates on the bed.

The more particular objects of the invention will best be understood from the followthereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but it will also beunderstood that the particular construction described and shown has been chosen for purposes of exemplification merely, and that the invention, as defined in the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise embodied without departure from its spirit and scope.

, In said drawing: I r

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation, partly broken out, of the complete machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the carriage, the adjacent wall being partly broken away. 1

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the squirrel cages hereinafter described.

The invention is herein illustrated as emdescribed in'Letters Patent No. 1,622,795,

above referred to, to which reference may be had for a more complete description of parts not fully shown and described herein.

Said machine comprises an'elon'gated bed,

generally indicated at 1.0, and a carriage 11 providedwith wheels12 arranged to run ion rails13 extending longitudinallyo'f said bed, whereby said'carriage may be propelled over said bed by a suitable electric orothermotor leg Mounted onparallel axes in an elevated position in the-carriage 11 are a plurality of horizontally. disposed, foramin'ous drums 15 adapted to receive the platesor flakes-and to1be rotated in unison, whereby. said flakes or plates are showered by gravity upon thev bedv 10.-- ,The ,severall drums 15 are: geared together, as indicated at 16, one of said drums being positively rotated through w suitable gearing 17 bylan electric or other motor 18 on thecarriage. *1 i Y In accordancewith thepresent invention, there are interposed between. the drums 15 and bedlO a plurality, of devicefs19," which, for convenience, may be termed squirrel qca'ges, [corresponding] in ;number to i said drums and of substantiallythe same length and.diameter,-.said squirrel cages being 10- cated respectively directly beneath the several drums and beingfmountedon parallel horizontal shafts 20 suitably journalledin the side walls of the carriage 11. The shaft T of one of the squirrelcages19 is provided with a'gear21 meshing with the gear 16 "onf the corresponding drum' 15, whereby-said squirrel cage is rotated inunison with said drum, and the remainlng squirrel cages ,are connected with said first named squirrel.

ca e :for rotation in UHlSOIILthGI'GWltll 'b b 7 1 7 means of chain and sprocketlgearing gener ally indicated at 22. V V

As shown most clearly in Fig. 3, each squirrel cage l-9 comprises two parallel end heads i 23 connected by a plurality of parallel horizontal rods 24 preferably arranged in a plurality of co-axial cylindrical series, the rods in adjacent series being staggered.

Between the drums 15 and squirrel cages 19 are'arranged transversely extending baflles or deflectors' 25 so disposed'as to direct the plates or flakes falling from the drums through said squirrel cages.

It will be seen that, in operation, the flakes or plates, as they fall by gravity from the rotating drums 15, are acted upon by'the rotating squirrel cages whose horizontally disposed rods 24 are continuously moved transversely and alternately in opposite directions across the falling stream of plates or flakes. It is found in practice that this not only serves effectually to break up any lumps or masses of matted flakes which may fall from the foraminous drums, but also assists materialy in effecting an even spreading of the plates or flakes on the bed 10.

10 "Having thus described my invention, I

claim: i

1. In a machine for forming composite sheets from flaky or plate-like material, the combination with a bed and an elevated, horizontally disposed, rotating foraminous drum for showering the flakes orplates by gravity upon said bed, of a rotating, horizontally disposed squirrel cage of substantially the same length and diameter as said drum located directly beneath the latter and comprising parallel end heads connected by a number of parallel rods spaced at various distancesfrom the center of said end heads. 7

2. Ina machine for forming composite sheets from flaky or platelike material, the combination with a bed and an elevated,'horizontally disposed, rotating foraminous drum for showering the flakes or plates by gravity upon said bed, of a rotating, horizontally dis? posed squirrel cage of substantially the same length and diameter as said drum located directly beneath th'elatter and comprising parallel end heads connected by parallel rods arranged in a plurality of coaxial cylindrical series, the rods in adjacent series being staggere 3. In a machine for forming composite sheets from flaky or plate-like material, the combination with a bed and a plurality of 49 elevated, horizontally disposed, rotating foram inous drums for showering the flakes or plates by gravity upon said bed, of a plurality of rotating, horizontally disposed squirrel cages equal in number to the drums,

located respectively directly beneath the sev eral drums, and'each comprising parallel end heads connected by a plurality of parallel rods, and baflles for directing the plates or flakes falling from the drums through said 50 squirrel cages.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

- LOUIS MCCARTHY. 

